Hoop-coiling machine.



Patented Dec. l6, I902. A. F. WARD. V HOOP BOILING MACHINE.

(Apphcataon filed June: 2 1902 (No Model.)

UNITED STATES ALEXANDER F. WARD, OF MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE.

HOOP-COILING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 716,317, dated December 16, 1902.

I Application filed June 2, 1902. Serial No. 109,909. (No model.)

To a whom/it immy concern:

Be it known that I, ALEXANDER F.WARD, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Memgaged, a surrounding tension-strap for press ing the hoop against the drum during the op eration of coiling, and a weight operated through suitable intervening mechanism to place a tension upon said strap. In operation the hoops are successively fed into eugagement with the drum in the usual manner and coiled one upon the other between said drum and strap, after which the tension of the strap is released and the coiled hoops are pressed laterally off from the coilingdrum. To relieve the tension from the strap, it is necessary to lift the weight either by a hand-lever orbypower-driven mechanism controlled by the operator; but with machines as usually built the hand-lever alone is employed.

It is the object of the present invention to provide an improved construction of power mechanism for lifting the weight to relieve the tension upon the strap; and to this end the invention consists in the construction hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of a hoop-coiling machine to which my improvements are applied. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevationat right angles to Fig. 1 through a portion of the machine, and Fig. 3 is a detail view of the weight-releasing mechanism.

A is the frame of the machine, upon which is mounted a shaft B, car rying the coilingdrum 0.

D is a power-shaft journaled in bearings in the frame above the shaft B.

Eis a friction-pulley, and F is a cooperating friction-wheel on the shaft B.

G is a drive pulley upon the shaft D, through which power may be imparted to said shaft from any suitable source.

H is a flexible tension-strap surrounding the coiling-drum 0, one end of which is attached to a fixed member of the frame,

while the other end is secured to a lever I on the shaft J, journaled in the upper portion of the frame.

K is a weight for applying tension to the strap H, which is carried by the arm L, pivoted in the lower part of the frame, and has an operating connection with the rock-shaft J.

The parts thus far described are similar in construction to the machine shown in the prior patent before referred to and forrnno part of the present invention, except as hereinafter set forth.

In operation of the machine as thus far described the coiliug is effected by first throwing the frictions E and Finto contact, which may be accomplish ed by lever connection, (not shown,) and this will cause the rotation of the coiling-drum, so that the hoops may be successively coiled thereon, being held in contact by a strap 11. The latter as the diameter of the hoops on the drum increases will .draw upon the lever F, which in turn will rock the shaft J and raise the weight K.

For releasing the tension-strap I have devised a power-driven mechanism of the following construction.

M is a pulley on the shaft J, to which a chain or strapNis attached, which forms the connection with the weight K. This strap or chain is attached to the pulley M and Wound therearound and then passes therefrom and extends downward again.

0 is a winding-drum sleeved upon the shaft D and having the end of the strap or chain N attachedt hereto. This drum is normally loose upon the shaft D and is arranged adjacent to a collar P, fixedon said shaft. The

collar P is preferably tapered, andthe drum 0 is provided with a complementary tapering portion, so that the two form cooperating members of a friction-clutch. To engage the clutch", the drum 0 is moved longitudinally upon the shaft, so as to be pressed into frictional contact with the collar P. This may be accomplished by arranging the drum 0 adjacent to a stationary bearing Q for the shaft D and between the two placing a revoluble collar R, having a cam bearing upon the bearing Q. This collar R is connected by a link S to a lever T, by means of which the collar may be partially rotated, so as to press the drum 0 in contact with the collar P:

It will be understood from the description of the mechanism above given that whenever the lever T is moved to press the drum 0 against the head said drum will be caused to rotate with the shaft D, which will wind up the flexible connection N, causing the rotation of the pulley M and rock-shaft J and raising the weight K. The rocking of the shaft J will also rock the rock-arm I, which will release the tension upon the strap H. When the strap II is sufficiently released to permit ofdisengaging the coiled hoops, the leverI will contact with the fixed stop U, which will arrest further movement thereof. The collar P will then slip in contact with thedrum 0 without driving the latter, which, however, will hold the weight K in its raised position until the lever T is released. When this occurs, the drum will be permitted to revolve upon the shaft D in the opposite direction, while the weight K, drawing upon the chain or strap N, will revolve the pulley M, rock-shaft J, and rock-arm I until tension is again applied to the strap H.

This power-releasin g mechanism is exceedingly simple in construction and may be applied to machines having simply a hand-lever for releasing the tension on the strap H without modifying the construction to any extent.

It is to be noted that when the lever T is operated to release the winding-drum and to thereby permit the weight to again lower this operation may be made as gradual as necessary. This is very important, for if, on the contrary, the weight were suddenly released and allowed to drop it would be almost certain to either break the strap or some other part of the mechanism. With my construction the operator in first releasing the tension of the strap operates the lever T to frictionally couple the drum to the shaft, as before described, and after this is accomplished and the coil of hoops is thrown off (which may be done with the foot) the lever T is moved to gradually release the friction-clutch, thereby permitting the drum to slowly unwind and to lower the weight gradually.

What I claim as my invention is- 1. In a hoop-coiling machine, the combination with a drive-shaft, a coiling-drum having a coupling gearing with said shaft, a tensionstrap surrounding said drum and a weight for tensioning said strap, of means for releasing the tension upon said strap comprisinga lifting connection for said weight, a windingdrum loose upon said drive-shaft to which said lifting connection is attached, a head fixed upon said shaft adjacent to one end of said winding-drum, a fixed bearing at the opposite end of said winding-drum and a cam between said fixed bearing and drum adapted to press the latter into frictional contact with said head to cause the raisingof said weight.

2. In a hoop-coiling machine, the combination with a drive-shaft, a coiling-drum having a coupling gearing with said shaft, a tensionstrap surrounding said drum, a rock-arm to which one end of said strap is secured and a weight for tensioning said strap through the medium of said rock-arm, of a rock-shaft to which said rock-arm is attached, a pulley secured to said shaft, a flexible connection secured to and passing around said pulley, one end thereof being secured to said weight and forming themeans for tensioning said strap, a winding-drum loose upon said drive-shaft to which the opposite end of said flexible connection is attached, a head formed upon said shaft adjacent to one end of said windingdrum, a fixed hearing at the opposite end of said drum, a rotary cam sleeved upon said shaft between said fixed bearing and drum and a controlling-lever for rotating said cam to press said winding-drum against said head and thereby cause it to wind up said connection and lift said weight.

3. In a hoop-coiling machine, the combination with a drive-shaft, a coiling-drum having a coupling gearing with said shaft, a tensionstrap surrounding said drum and means for tensioning said strap, of power mechanism for relieving the tension on said strap and means for gradually releasing said power mechanism to permit said tension to be again applied and to take up the slack in the strap.

4. In a hoop-coiling machine, the combination with a drive-shaft, a coiling-drum having a coupling gearing with said shaft, a tensionstrap surrounding said drum and a weight for tensioning the same, of a power mechanism for lifting said weight to release the tension of said strap comprising a winding-drum, a connection from said drum to said weight, a friction-clutch for connecting said drum with the drive-shaft, and means for gradually applying and releasing said friction clutch whereby said weight may be raised, held, and gradually lowered.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ALEXANDER F. WARD. Witnesses:

D. C. SIMS, W. H. TAYLOR.

IIO 

